How a Great Garden Can Help You Sell Your House

Mar 28, 2017adminHomeComments Off on How a Great Garden Can Help You Sell Your House

Selling your house can be quite the pain. There is so much to do to prepare it for selling. Oftentimes, sellers can be in such a rush that they overlook some financially helpful preparations. The most commonly overlooked one is the exterior of the home. Sometimes we tend to focus on perfecting the inside of the house and spend more effort making sure that THAT is what is the most alluring for buyers. Little do they realize that a well-maintained garden can significantly add to the value of the property; some say up to 20%!

Ideally, a buyer should take at least a month to work on and prepare the exterior of their home for showings. In fact, before showing a property, it is suggested that a seller removes any plants that they may be taking with them, so as not to give potential buyers the wrong impression. It also wouldn’t hurt to compose a short, simple list of plant inventory so that the buyers can get an idea of what they will be working with.

Maintain the landscape

The first thing to remember is to maintain the landscape. This means the grass is well-cut, fertilized, regularly watered, and de-weeded. Any shrubs or trees should be tediously pruned removing any dead branches or leaves. Fix any leaky faucet that you may have or loose concrete slabs. Make sure that the yard is raked (if necessary) and that any surface that may need cleaning is pressure washed. If you have a fence up, make sure it is in a good condition, and if needed slap an extra coat of paint on it to give it a refreshed look.

Clean the yard

Try to avoid having any unnecessary things floating around your yard like rakes, trash or anything that can be an eyesore. The point is, you don’t want to give an impression of neglect. Remember that the first thing a potential buyer sees is the outside of the house. You want it to look welcoming, clean, and tidy. The neatness can also give the impression of a larger yard. The back yard is often a space that buyers are looking to use for entertaining guests or simply spending some family time, so you don’t want to give any impression of neglect.

Plants itinerary

Another thing to keep an eye out for is any unrecognizable plants or weeds in your garden. You might not think twice about this at first, and even overlook them, but any unrecognizable plant can be a potential problem. Imagine it being something like poison ivy or poison oak and your buyer having small children, which could be dangerous. In extreme cases, it could even be a Japanese knot-weed which is currently making its way around the U.K. This weed grows up to 10 centimeters a day and undealt with can bring down the value of your home by up to 25%! So make sure to take a double look at what you have growing!

Keep it simple

An important thing to also keep in mind, especially when planning out your garden, is to not over-do it. Although a beautiful, extravagant garden may be more attractive, the maintenance that it requires may be off-putting for some buyers. There is no need to over-clutter. In fact, you want to give the illusion of a bigger and more open space.

Open it up

You can even try using strategically placed mirrors in your garden to open it up. If you don’t have a garden in place yet but are interested in putting one in before selling, there are tools and apps that can specifically assist you in your planning. They will ask measurements of your area and give you a better idea of what you are doing.

Plant some flowers

Flower beds are some of the most common things planted in gardens, and they don’t have to be costly. Beds of flowers can give your garden the splash of color it needs and they contrast well with the mulch. Laying mulch is ideal rather than simply having the flowers in soil, as it is inexpensive and gives beds of flowers a cleaner look. Try and pick flowers that are both pretty and have fragrance as they tend to be more attractive.

Garden furniture and more

When you reevaluate your garden space there are always a few things that can be added to spruce up the garden area a bit. Here are some ideas:

A shed – it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but a nice, even small, clean shed can add value as well as tie the area together; not to mention add storage space for all those garden tools that you DON’T want laying around for the showings. Make sure that you secure the shed with a padlock.

A water fountain – the babbling sounds of a fountain, big or small, can mask a noisy area; but also add some peaceful sounds. Make sure to always keep the water clean, checking the filters regularly, as well as remove any leaves or algae from the area.

Lights – adding some lights to your walkways or around your flower beds can make sure that your garden doesn’t just look good in the light of the day, but gives a special, magical look for the evening showings. Remember that it isn’t going to always be convenient for showings to be in the daylight and you want to give the best impression of your home, inside and out.

Patio furniture – if you don’t have some in your backyard already, invest in some inexpensive patio furniture. This gives the buyer an idea of what they can do with the space available and ties together your garden area well.

Privacy – it is always nice when you have a private backyard. You don’t have to worry about the nosy neighbors peering over, and it gives you that safe “no one can see me” level of relaxation in your backyard. If you don’t already have a fence up, an alternative would be planting trees or shrubs that can enclose your yard and make it feel more private.

Last minute tips

Here are a few good tips on some things that you can do pre-showing to prepare your garden to look its best. Run your irrigation system about half an hour before the appointment. This not only gives the garden a fresh, clearly cared for look, but also shows that the irrigation system is in a good working condition. If it is winter time, and your garden is down for the season (or you don’t have one) fret not! Take a few evergreen plants in pots and place them along the steps or on both sides of the front door. This will still help tie in the exterior look of your home. Last, but not least, do a walk around one last time to make sure everything is in place for that first impression.

Rebecca writes for Midland Stone a garden and builders’ supplier in Ireland. They have all the products online that can help you create a great looking garden.